From Gaza City to Tel Aviv , rockets kept flying , people kept dying and fear and anger on both sides kept growing .

For all the bloodshed thus far -- including at least 30 killed in Gaza since Wednesday , according to a Palestinian government website , and Israel reporting three deaths in Kiryat Malachi -- there has been little indication the situation will calm any time soon .

In fact , fears are rising that the opposite will hold true . Israel 's Cabinet on Friday approved the activation of up to 75,000 reservists , prime minister 's spokesman Mark Regev said . Also , the Israel Defense Forces reported earlier in the day that it is `` mobilizing forces '' in preparation for a `` possible ground invasion of the Gaza Strip . ''

Q&A : Gaza strikes could be beginning of ground attack

The violence `` seems that it 's beyond control , '' said Daniel Ben Simon , a Knesset member not aligned with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's coalition .

The violence continued Saturday morning , with several loud explosions from apparent Israeli strikes rattling Gaza City . The Cabinet headquarters for Hamas , the same building where Egypt 's prime minister met with Hamas ' officials the previous day , was among the sites destroyed , according to Hamas TV .

From northern Gaza , Mohammed Sulaiman said he could hear bombs intermittently falling from Israeli warplanes as well as , from the other side , rockets periodically whistling toward Israel .

`` The situation is totally dangerous here , and it is not safe to be out in the street , '' Sulaiman said .

Meanwhile , the Israel Defense Forces , which has accused Hamas of turning Gaza into `` a frontal base for Iran , '' said 97 rockets launched from Gaza had hit Israel since midweek , while another 99 were intercepted by a missile defense system .

The former category included rockets that landed near Israel 's two most populous cities Friday . No damage was reported , but Israelis consider the attacks on its major population centers to be an escalation , said Israel 's ambassador to the United States , Michael Oren .

Two struck an open area south of Jerusalem , with Hamas militants confirming they had fired rockets toward that city .

iReporter captures wailing sirens warning of rockets in Jerusalem

Alarms went off , too , in Tel Aviv , prompting people to scurry off beaches and into safe locales , witnesses said .

From a seaside restaurant , Elian Karen said the rocket went into the ocean about 10 to 15 meters deep , caused water to rise briefly before black smoke began rising from the water . Within 10 minutes , people were back on the beach -- sitting , eating , playing and seemingly determined not to let the conflict disrupt their lives .

Photos : Deadly attacks in Gaza , Israel

`` Everyone is on the beach right now , very normal -LRB- and -RRB- no stress , '' Karen said Friday . `` We want to have a normal life and enjoy life . ''

Rejecting the idea of a temporary cease-fire Israel had requested because of the Egyptian prime minister 's Gaza visit , the militant group al-Qassam -- the military arm of Hamas -- reported on its Twitter feed that it had fired a Grad missile Friday on the southern Israeli city of Beer Sheva .

Israeli : ` How would you feel if your children were constantly scared ? '

In Ashkelon , about 17 kilometers -LRB- 10 miles -RRB- north of Gaza , local officials said rocket strikes had increased dramatically in recent days . Such attacks are nothing new for residents accustomed to hunkering down in bunker rooms , but the emptiness of the town 's marina and streets suggested the uptick had left people on edge .

`` It is really frightening , '' Shiraz Wieselhof said . `` I can not sleep at night . ''

This violent back-and-forth comes after the Israeli military 's start Wednesday of an operation it calls Pillar of Defense , which it launched to target those behind the high number of rockets fired at Israel over the past year .

Israel : ` All options on the table in Gaza '

Israeli authorities said the military campaign has hit more than 600 targets for what it calls terror activity and stifled rocket launches out of Gaza , a claim denied by al-Qassam .

Photos from Friday showed fiery rubble of where Hamas ' Interior Ministry building once stood .

Hamas field commander Ahmad Abu Galala was killed Friday , according to Hamas officials , and Israel 's military reported that fellow senior Hamas operative Kahlid Shahyer was also targeted .

Watch : Senior Hamas member on strikes in Gaza

But despite what Oren describes as great pains by Israel not to hurt innocents -- including warning Gaza residents in phone calls and leaflets -- scores of civilian casualties have been reported .

In Gaza City , for example , a neighbor at al-Shifa Hospital held the body Friday of 4-year-old Mahmoud Sadalah , who his father described as `` very sweet '' and intelligent . The boy is among eight children killed in the recent violence , medical sources in Gaza said .

Fear , mourning , celebration in Gaza City

At least 101 children and 96 women have been injured in Israeli strikes , a figure that does not include carnage from new attacks late Friday night , said Dr. Mufeed Mkhallalati , the Palestinian health minister .

`` As a doctor , as a human , I am crying , '' a doctor at al-Shifa Hospital said . `` I ca n't do anything for him , because I know he 's died . ... And you ca n't imagine if it 's your baby , how do you feel he 's a terrorist ? Why ? ''

Egypt vows ` not to leave Gaza alone '

With its attacks , Israel is denying Palestinians their rights and efforts to establish an independent state , Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Friday .

`` This is an aggression against all Palestinian people , '' he said .

He cited the deaths of two babies as a result of Israeli airstrikes . One was the 11-month-old son of a BBC journalist in Gaza , BBC Foreign Editor Jon Williams said .

Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Kandil got a firsthand look Friday at destruction while on a tour with Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh .

His rhetoric toward Israel was diplomatic , though his voice was halting as he struggled to get his words out after seeing a dead year-old boy .

`` No one can remain still and watch this tragedy unfold in this fashion , '' Kandil said . `` This is impossible . The whole world must intervene , and Israel must abide by the agreements and stop the aggression . ''

Watch : Egypt condemns Gaza violence

The armed conflict is likely to further erode Israel 's fragile relationship with Egypt , which recalled its ambassador to Israel on Wednesday in protest over the ongoing strikes . It also delivered a formal protest to the Israeli government .

`` Egypt will not leave Gaza alone , and what is happening there is a blatant aggression against humanity , '' said Egyptian President Mohammed Morsy .

His Cabinet chief noted , however , that Egypt 's peace treaty with Israel is safe .

`` But respecting a peace treaty does not mean to stay idle or indifferent to what is going on along our borders , '' said Mohamed Refa'a al-Tahtawi , who promised `` medical , logistical and humanitarian '' support for Palestinians .

Will Twitter war become the new norm ?

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Hamas ' Cabinet headquarters is destroyed , Hamas TV reports

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Israel 's Cabinet OKs activating up to 75,000 reservists , a spokesman says

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Israeli strikes have killed 30 in Gaza , a Gaza government website says

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`` It seems that it 's beyond control , '' an Israeli Knesset member says